Denmark and Ukraine signed a memorandum of understanding to proceed with arms acquisitions through the Ukrainian defense industry totaling 4.2 billion Danish kroner (about $629 million), the Danish Ministry of Defense reported on 29 September.
According to the Danish Ministry of Defense, Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen is currently in Kyiv. He signed the agreement alongside Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov and Minister for Strategic Industries Herman Smetanin.
By funding weapons manufactured within Ukraine, Denmark is bolstering Ukraine’s long-term capacity to sustain its own defense industry, potentially reducing its dependence on foreign-made arms in the ongoing war with Russia.
The funding for these acquisitions will come from two sources. The Danish government has allocated some 1.3 billion kroner ($2 mn) with parliamentary support, while 2.9 billion kroner ($4,3 mn) will come from frozen Russian assets that Denmark is disbursing on behalf of the EU.
“It is important that we continue to support Ukraine’s fight for freedom in all ways we can,” the Danish Defense minister said.
The ministry reports that Denmark has already implemented a pilot project earlier this year, financing 18 Ukrainian-produced artillery pieces. These have already been delivered to the Ukrainian armed forces.
This agreement comes ahead of the Defence Industries Forum in Kyiv, scheduled from 1 to 5 October, where a large group of Danish defense industry companies will participate.
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